Railroad-crossing.



Patented Dec. 24,1901.

J. s. JENCKES, .IR. RAILROAD CROSSING.

(Application filed. Mar. 29, 1901.)

2 SheetsSheet l.

(No Model.)

l l ll s I m m 4 .2 G. e D d e t n e t a P R G IN S D KB 070 N m 0 W A 9 9 8 6 0 N (Application mm m. 29, 1901:

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

//1ve afar W172 eases UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH s. JENCKES, JR, or TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.

RAILROAD-CROSSING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,494, dated December 24, 1901. Application filed March 29, 1901. Serial No. 53,474. (No model.)

vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates torailroads, but more particularly to railroad-crossin gs, and has forits object to provide a railroad-crossin g wherein the intersecting rails can be made continuous, thus obviating the usual thumping and jolting of the cars and the consequent wear and tear on the crossing, and thereby protecting the rolling-stock.

A further object of my invention is to provide a movable-rail crossing which is constructed and operated in such a manner that thejar of the passing trains will not cause the movable parts to work loose,tl1 us obviating the greatest of defects in movable-rail crossings and providing a crossing of this class which is practical and capable of long and continued hard usage, with the expense for repairs reduced to a minimum.

With these objects in view myinvention consists in the novel arrangement and construction of rails and also in the novel manner of operating the same.

My invention also consists in certain other novel features of construction and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a railroad-crossing constructed and operated in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View of my improved crossing frame or base,within which the movable rails are slidingly secured. Fig. 3 is a cross-section showing a rail secured in my crossing frame or base.

Like characters of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several figures, in.

mond, said crossing-frame being constructed so that it overlaps the flange or base of the rails, securely holding the same from any lateral or vertical movement, as shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 1, 3 represents the permanently-secured rails,fastened to the ties in the ordinary or in any approved manner. 4 represents rails being capable of a lateral movement in a manner similar to an ordinary switch. 5 represents sections of rails which are adapted to butt against said laterallymoving rails 4 and are secured in the crossing frame or base, as hereinbefore described, said sections being capable of a free longitudinal movement therein. tions of rails which are adapted to butt against the permanently secured rails 3, said sections 6 being also secured within the crossing frame or base 2, as described. The rails 4 are securely held together by the rod 7 so that both rails move together. The sections 5are also firmly secured together and connected by a similar rod 8, as are also the sections 6 secured and connectedtogether bytherod 9. Pivotally secured at a point intermediate the laterallymoving rails 4 is the bell-crank 10, which connects with the operating-rod 11 and the connecting-rod 12, said connecting-rod being secured to the rod 8. Secured to said rod 8 is a slotted rod 13, having a slotted portion 14. at the end thereof, said slotted portion being connected to the rod 9 by means of apin 18 in said rod, which passes through the slot 14 in said slotted end.

Having thus described the several parts of my invention, its operation is as follows: The permanent rails 3 extend to a point substantiallyin line with the outer sides of the intersecting rails. The sections 6, as aforesaid, butt against said permanent rails and are in length substantially shorter than the distance between the intersecting rails. Thus it will be seen that in the continuous track in Fig. l the sections 6 cross the line of the right intersecting rail, but do not extend to the line of the left intersecting rail. The'sections 5, crossing the line of said left intersecting rail, butt against the section 6 at-a point inter.-

6 represents sec-f mediate the lines of the intersecting rails and butt the laterally-movin g rails 4 at a point to v in the rod-9, which passes through the slot in I sired to make the other track continuous, the laterally-moving rails 4 are thrown out-of line with the rest of the track, as shown at A, moving out and resting upon the small projection or platform 17, formed on the crossing frame or base 2, said rails being drawn in this position by the operating-rod 16, which is operated in any approved manner. The operating-rod 11 is then pulled outwardly,

which motion is, by reason of the bell-crank 10, transmitted to the connecting-rod 12 and to the slotted rod connected thereto. The pin 1 said slotted rod, being new in the inner end of said slot, said pin 18 is not engaged bysaid rod until said rod 13 moves the length of the tions '6 are moved. The rod 8, connected to the track-sections 5, however, moves the en- I tire distance of the connecting-rod 12. It

will consequently 'be seen that the track-sections 5 move the length .of the slot 14 before the track-sections 6 start to move at all.

This

brings said track-sections 5 to a point B out- I side of the intersecting track and moves the track-sections 6 until thesame are between the two intersecting rails.

The intersecting rails are now ready to be made continuous,

which isaccomplished by reversingthe movement of the operating-rods 11 and 16, which sections 5 to butt against said track-sections j 6. The operating-rod 16 is then moved inj wardly, which'moves the laterally-moving rails 4 in line with the track-sections 5 and 6,

thus making said tracks continuous.

It will be observed that the track-sections 5and 6 .are slidingly secured within the crossing frame or base 2, which is spiked orbolted I to the ties, and-when the rails are made continuous the said sections are as rigid as a track secured to ties, there being no movable parts 'to'wor'k loose and nothing in the entire construction which would give in the slightest degree to the jarring of a passing train. a

It might be well to state that my crossing can be operated, as described, in the same v time that is required to operate an ordinary .switch,thereby rendering the use of the same i at all times practical and providing a crosses ie i ing for railroads which is extremely simple and, above all, durable and efficient.

Having thus described the operation of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction as herein set forth, as various slight changes might be made therein by'those skilled in the art which would fall within the limit and scope of my invention, and I consider myself entitled to all such changes and modifications.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is'

1. A railroad-crossing comprising movable rail-sections within the crossing, and longitudinally-movable rails in alinement with sai movable rail-sections, substantially as de scribed.

2. A railroad-crossing comprising movable rail-sections within the crossing, longitudinallymovable rails in .alinement with said movable rail-sections and laterally-movable rail-sections, substantially as described.

3. In a railroad-crossing, the combination ofthe movable sections having a longitudinal movement in the same direction, and the intersecting tracks having a lateral movement, substantially as described.

4. In a railroad-crossing, the combination of a crossing-frame, movable track-sections secured therein within said crossing, and the main tracks, the whole operated in such a manner that either line of tracks may .be made continuous, substantially as described.

5. A railway-crossing comprising movable rail-sections at the diamond, longitudinally movable rails in ion gitudinal alinementtherewith, and with the track-rails, and means for moving said track-rails in and out of contact with said lon gitudinally-movin g sections, substantially as described.

6. A railway-crossing comprising two pairs of movable rail-sections at the diamond,a pair of longitudinally-movable rail-sections in longitudinal alinement with each of said movable rail-sections, laterally-movable trackrails, means for moving the same in .and out of alinement with said longitudinally-movable sections, and means for-moving saidsections in and out of contact with the laterallymovable rail-sections, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH S. JENGKES, JR. Witnesses:

BERT TAYLOR,

OSKAR DUENWEG. 

